---
title: "Performance Max Explained: Assets, Formats, and Creative Requirements"
description: "A definitional page answering what Google Performance Max is, how Performance Max assets and asset groups work, and how PMax compares to Demand Gen and Search…"
url: "https://groas.com/post/performance-max-assets-and-specs-explained"
image: "https://groas.com/og/groas.jpg"
published: "2026-08-26T06:42:52.751Z"
modified: "2026-09-30T23:42:09.068Z"
---

[Google Ads Best Practices](https://groas.com/category/google-ads-best-practices) · August 26, 2026 · 3 min read

# Performance Max Explained: Assets, Formats, and Creative Requirements

[Alexander PerelmanHead Of Product @ groas](https://groas.com/author/alexander-perelman)[LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexander-433793253/)

Updated September 30, 2026

In this article

1. [What is Google Performance Max?](#what-is-google-performance-max)
2. [Performance Max assets](#performance-max-assets)
3. [Difference between Performance Max and Demand Gen](#difference-between-performance-max-and-demand-gen)
4. [Performance Max vs. Search campaigns](#performance-max-vs-search-campaigns)
5. [Managing Performance Max with groas](#managing-performance-max-with-groas)

**Direct answer:** Performance Max (PMax, also called Google Max) is a Google Ads campaign type. In groas’s 7-step setup guide, running PMax covers goal definition, asset-group structure, feed optimization, budget pacing, search themes, evaluation, and scaling decisions. PMax campaigns are organized around asset groups, which is the structural difference from keyword-targeted Search campaigns. Google is the authoritative source for current PMax ad sizes, format specifications, and creative requirements; groas does not republish those numbers here because they change.

## What is Google Performance Max?

Performance Max — also searched as “performance max google ads” or “google max performance” — is a Google Ads campaign type. The groas execution guide defines the operational core of PMax as seven steps: goal definition, asset-group structure, feed optimization, budget pacing, search themes, performance evaluation, and scaling decisions. So when people ask what PMax is, the practical answer is: it is the Google Ads campaign type you run by setting a conversion goal and feeding it asset groups, not by managing keyword lists the way Search campaigns work.

## Performance Max assets

A Performance Max campaign is built around asset groups. Each asset group contains the creative assets Google needs to assemble ads. groas’s 7-step guide treats asset-group structure as a core step, and the groas Performance Max strategy guide covers asset-group structure and audience signals for agency, in-house, and managed-service teams.

### PMax ad sizes and creative requirements

Ad sizes, format specifications, and creative requirements for PMax are set by Google and can change. groas deliberately does not restate a spec table on this page, because an unversioned third-party list of asset dimensions goes stale. For current PMax ad sizes and creative requirements, consult Google’s own documentation.

## Difference between Performance Max and Demand Gen

Performance Max and Demand Gen are different campaign types in a Google Ads account structure. groas’s 2026 account-structure framework explains where PMax and Demand Gen fit and how many campaigns to run. The groas framework is the practical reference for deciding where each belongs; this page does not substitute for Google’s product documentation.

## Performance Max vs. Search campaigns

Search campaigns are keyword-targeted; Performance Max campaigns are asset-group and conversion-goal targeted. In groas’s PMax guide, the work is goal definition, asset groups, feed, budget pacing, and search themes — not keyword list management. For a comparison between PMax and Google’s AI Max offering for Search, groas published a setup guide and performance review of AI Max.

## Managing Performance Max with groas

groas builds, runs, and improves Google Ads campaigns autonomously, including Performance Max work. The groas paid-search page describes how the engine writes and tests ad copy, deploys dynamic landing pages, and moves budget where it earns the most. groas pricing starts at $999/month after a 7-day free trial.

For operational detail, see:

- [How To Run Performance Max Campaigns That Actually Convert](https://groas.com/post/how-to-run-performance-max-campaigns-setup-guide-pmax-best-practices-2026)
- [Performance Max Strategy Guide](https://groas.com/post/performance-max-strategy-guide-agency-in-house-managed-service)
- [Google Ads Account Structure in 2026](https://groas.com/post/google-ads-best-practices-for-2026-the-a)
- [Google AI Max For Search Campaigns](https://groas.com/post/google-ads-ai-max-search-campaigns-2026-setup-guide-features-performance-review)

## Frequently Asked Questions

### What is Performance Max?

Performance Max (PMax, also called Google Max) is a Google Ads campaign type. You run it by setting a conversion goal and feeding it asset groups, rather than managing keyword lists the way Search campaigns work.

### What are the steps for running a Performance Max campaign?

In groas's 7-step setup guide, running Performance Max covers goal definition, asset-group structure, feed optimization, budget pacing, search themes, performance evaluation, and scaling decisions.

### How are Performance Max campaigns structured?

Performance Max campaigns are organized around asset groups. Each asset group contains the creative assets Google needs to assemble ads, which is the structural difference from keyword-targeted Search campaigns.

### Where can I find current PMax ad sizes and creative requirements?

Google is the authoritative source for current Performance Max ad sizes, format specifications, and creative requirements, because these can change. Consult Google's own documentation rather than an unversioned third-party list, which goes stale.

### What is the difference between Performance Max and Demand Gen?

Performance Max and Demand Gen are different campaign types in a Google Ads account structure. Where each belongs and how many campaigns to run is covered by groas's 2026 account-structure framework.

### How is Performance Max different from Search campaigns?

Search campaigns are keyword-targeted, while Performance Max campaigns are asset-group and conversion-goal targeted. PMax work centers on goal definition, asset groups, feed, budget pacing, and search themes instead of keyword list management.

### How much does groas cost?

groas pricing starts at $999/month after a 7-day free trial. groas builds, runs, and improves Google Ads campaigns autonomously, including Performance Max work.

## Pay For Results, Not For Hours

Businesses buy the outcome, agencies resell it, and groas answers for it either way.

[See If You Qualify](https://groas.typeform.com/to/xC1bQNUT)

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